Tricycle.



Patented Jan. 23, I900. H. F. WATSON.

T R l C Y C L E (Application filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

5 Sheets $heet I.

INVENTOR: 13., 4., M m 6 %3M (No Model.)

WITNESSES:

N NR Patented Jan. 23, 1900. H. F. WATSON.

TRIGYOLE.

A nmion filed me. 6, 189B.)

5 sham-sheet 3.

(NoMpdeL) WITNESSLESI Mm? Patentad Ian. 23, i900.

No. 64l,8|6.

H. F. WATSON. TRICYCLE.

(Application filed. Dec. 8, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 sheets-Sheet 4.

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(No Model.)

H. F. WATSON. TRICYGLE.

(Applicatin filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

Patented Ian. 23, 1900.

5 Sheets-Shaet 5.

INVENTOR:

A A; m

' NITED STATES PATENT Fmc.

HENRY F. \VATSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM J. OHANINEL, OF SAME PLACE.

TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,816, dated January 23, 1900. Application filed December 6, 1898. Serial No.698,428. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that LHENRY F. WATSON,a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trioycles and other Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vehicles which may be employed for the transportation of vehicles or passengers, and may be propelled either by a driver operating through suitable pedals,-or by any suitable portable motor.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive vehicle of the foregoing general character the framework of which shall not only combine strength with comparative lightness, but shall also be so ar* ranged that the passage of the wheels over projections in the road shall occasion little or no jarring effect upon the body of the vehicle, and no temporary shortening or lengthening of the distance from the saddle to the pedals. i

A good form of a convenient embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings and herein described, the particular subject-matter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved vehicle.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. 7

Figure-3 is a view in side elevation of the socket and the various adjacent parts connected therewith.

Figure 4 is a view of the apparatus, in vertical, sectional, elevation, sight being taken from the rear toward the body of the vehicle, the plane of section intersecting the-forks D near their front ends.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of the forks D and one of the forks K removed from the body of the machine.

Figure 6 is a view of the apparatus in vertical, sectional elevation, the plane of section being supposed to pass through the parts E in front of the yoke F, sight being taken toward the front wheel.

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation of one of the rear or driving wheels, the parts asso otally connected to the respective free ends of A the steering head A, and at its upper end with a sprocket or band wheel a,O O are the rear Wheels, each suitably housed in a vertical fork D of any convenient construction, the upper extremities of which forks are piv- 5 a bow spring D the central portion of which is rigidly connected to-the main frame.

B is the body or containing receptacle of the vehicle.

a is an A-shaped hanger the upper end of which is rigidly connected by a collar a to the upper portion of the head A and the divergent lower ends of which are inturned beneath the front end of the body B, respectively near the respective sides thereof, and rigidly secured thereto. To the lower ends 'of the respective side members of the hanger a are pivotally connected the front ends of a pair of frame bars E E which extend to the rear end portion of the machine, their rear ends being conveniently somewhat broader than their front ends, and said rear ends be ing connected to each other by a yoke F extending transversely of the machine, the respective extremities of said yoke being conveniently pivotally connected to said frame bars by pivots f which are in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the machine, passing through the ends of said yoke F and through suitable ears carried by said frame bars E. 6

a is a supplementary A-shaped hanger, the upper end of which is pivotally secured to a collar a mounted on the head A, and the divergent lower ends of which are permanently secured to the lower ends of the hanger 0t.

F are a pair of uprights rigidly connected as to their lower ends to the yoke F. p

G G are a pair of crank supporting brackets rigidly connected to the yoke F and pr'oject- 10o or stays g, the upper ends of which are secured to the upper ends of the uprights F with the result that said crank brackets are very firmly braced in position.

H are a pair of struts, constituting an upright, disposed in A-shaped relationship each secured each as to its lower end to the upper end of one of the uprights F ,and each as to its upper end secured to a socket piece I (see Figure 3) to which is also secured the rear end of a horizontal stay bar I, the front end of which is connected to the head A on the front fork of the machine, and the body of which stay bar happens to be shown as extending through the containing receptacle of the vehicle.

J is the saddle post, the lower end of which is rigidly secured to the central portion of the yokeF and the upwardly and rearwardly extending body of which is provided at its upper end with the usual shank J upon which the saddle proper J is mounted.

The saddle post is conveniently braced by the horizontal bar J the rear end of which is secured to its upper end, and the front end of which is secured in the manner shown in Figure 3, to an extension 1' of the socket piece I The said extensioni forms one side wall and a plate or member i mounted (see Figure 3) and secured upon the front end of the bar J forms the other side wall of a box or recess in which is entered and rigidly secured by a suitable plates or blocks 2' the spring D to the extremities of which the rear wheel yokes or frames D are connected as hereinbefore described.

Screws or other fastenings of course extend through the central portion of said plates 1' and springs D The frame members so far described with the exception of the rear forks D and the spring D to which said forks are connected, constitute what 1 term the main skeleton frame of the machine, and it will be understood that it possesses great strength with comparative lightness.

K K are the horizontal forks for the rear wheels 0, the same being pivotally connected at their front extremities to the rear ends of the respective frame members E E.

Manifestly the rear wheels may be lifted and dropped not only independently of each other but also without oceasioning any considerable lifting or dropping of the main frame and body,-the fact being that when either of said rear wheels passes over an obstruction, the spring D to which its vertical fork is connected yields, that is to say, rises with the wheel, and the horizontal fork also, owing to its pivotal connection with the frame member E tilts upward with respect to said pivotal connection, and therefore the obstruction will be passed without oecasioning jarring of the main frame or body, the elevation of the wheel being taken up, so to speak, by the yielding or movement of the vertical and horizontal forks.

Furthermore, owing to the fact that the horizontal frame members E E are as described pivotally connected at their rear ends to the respective extremities of the transverse yoke F, the said horizontal members, and the horizontal forks K K which are pivotally connected to said frame members,have slight axial play or movement to allow of slight tilt or inclination of the wheel and its forks to one side or the other as in passing over obstructions, going quickly around curves, the.

A pair of pedal axles M M are respectively journaled in the rear extremities of the crank supporting brackets G, each provided at its outer extremity with a sprocket wheel m, over which wheels on run sprocket chains m also engaged with sprocket wheels m on the inner ends of the axles of the respective rear or driving wheels 0.

N N are pedals and pedal cranks respectively connected to the pedal axles as hereinafter set forth.

Manifestly the chain connections between the sprocket wheels on the pedal axles and the sprocket wheels on the wheel axles will allow of the rise and fall of the wheels 0 independently of the main frame, without being thrown out of action.

Manifestly, therefore, in the operation of my improved vehicle the pedal axles and pedals maintain what is practically an unvarying distance from the saddle so that no matter how rough may :be the road traveled the jarring or twisting of the machine will not carry the pedals away from under the' feet of the driver, nor will the saddle be elevated to carry the driver away from said pedals, all irregularities of the road being taken up or compensated for so to speak by the driving wheels and their housings, while the main frame of the machine retains its parts in unchanged relationship.

Conveniently the body of the vehicle is formed with a central bottom depression I) which depends between the horizontal frame members E E.

B is the hinged lid of the vehicle. To the front edge of the lid is rigidly connected a vertical sleeve 0 (see Figure 3) in which is mounted a vertical shaft O to the lower extremity of which is secured the handle bar 0, and to the upper extremity a band or sprocket wheel 0 engaged, through the band or sprocket chain 0 with the wheel a, the arrangement being such that motion of said handle bar is through said shaft O wheels 0 and a, and chain or band 0 communicated to the front fork and steering wheel.

When the lid B is elevated to afford access to the interior of the body B, the sleeve 0, vertical shaftO the handle bar 0 the wheel 0 and the chain 0 are lifted with it.

When the lid is down, it is to be secured in such position, and I conveniently secure it by providing the rear of the sleeve 0 with a fork plate-O (see Figure 3) the respective members of which are adapted to pass down upon the respective sides of a boss 0 on an upright O erected from the socket piece I and I mount upon said fork plate 0 a hook 0 adapted to engage with said boss 0 In the closing of the lid the fork plate seats itself upon said boss and the movable hook 0 may thereupon be engaged with said boss the result being that the lid and parts carried byit are very firm] ysecured both against vertical and lateral movement.

The sprocket wheels m on the inner ends of the axles of the driving wheels 0 are conveniently mounted inside, i. e., between the respective members, of the horizontal forks K, and the inner members of said horizontal forks are preferably bent away from the wheels 0 so as to cover and protect said sprocket wheels and chains from contact with the clothing of the driver, (see Figure 2.)

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination,the front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger,'a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members and pivotally connected to the rear extremities of each, a rear upright connected with said yoke, devices connective of the upper end of said upright and the front fork, a pair of yielding horizontally extending forks, and a pair of yielding vertically disposed forks, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, the front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members and pivotally connected to the rear extremities of each, brackets rigidly connected with said yoke, an upright rigidly connected with said yoke, devices connective of the upper end of said upright and the front fork, a pair of horizontally extending forks, a pair of vertically disposed forks, and a containing body disposed between said front hanger and said rear upright and permanently secured thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, the front fork, the front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to saidhanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members and pivotally connected to the rear extremities of each, an upright connected with said yoke, devices connective of the upper end of said upright and the front fork, a pair of horizontally extendingforks pivotally connected with the frame members, and a pair of vertically disposed forks connected to the main frame through a spring, substantially as set forth.

4. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, the

front fork, a front hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame-members pivotallyconnected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said members and pivotally connected to the rear extremities of each, a rear upright connected with said yoke, devices connective of the upper end of said upright and the front fork, a pair of horizontally extending forks pivotally connected with the frame members, a pair of vertically disposed forks, a band spring the respective extremities of which are connected with said verti cally disposed forks, and the intermediate portion of which is connected with said rear upright, substantially as set forth.

5. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, the front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members, brackets rigidly connected with said yoke, a rear upright rigidly connected with said yoke, devices connective of the upper end of said upright and the front fork, a pair of horizontally extending forks pivotally connected with the frame members, a pair of vertically disposed forks connected by a spring to the main frame, pedal axles carrying sprocket wheels mounted on the brackets, sprocket wheels connected with driving wheels mounted in said horizontally extending forks, and chains connecting said sprocket wheels on the pedal axles with those connected with said driving wheels, substantially as set forth.

6. In a wheeled vehicle, in combinationfa front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members, a rear upright connected with said yoke, a pair of horizontally extending forks, a pair of vertically disposed forks, a steering wheel, a pair of driving wheels, a containing body mounted between the front hanger and the upright connected with the yoke, a hinged lid connected with the top of said body, a sleeve mounted on said hinged lid, a shaft mounted in said sleeve, a handle bar connected to said shaft, and devices connective of said shaft and the front fork, substantially asset forth.

7. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, a front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members, a rear upright connected with said yoke, 21. pair of horizontally extending forks, a pair of vertically disposed forks, a steering wheel, a pair of driving wheels, a containing body mounted between the front hanger and the upright connected with the yoke, a hinged lid connected with the top of said body, a sleeve mounted on said hinged lid, a shaft mounted in said sleeve, a handle bar connected to said shaft, a wheel mounted on the upper' end of said shaft, a wheel mounted upon the upper end of the steering fork, and a band or chain connective of said wheels, substantially as set forth.

8. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, a front fork, a front supporting hanger connected therewith, a pair of horizontal frame members connected as to their front ends to said hanger, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members, a rear upright connected with said yoke, a pair of horizontally extending forks, a pair of vertically disposed forks, a steering Wheel, a pair of driving wheels, a containing body mounted between the front hanger and the upright connected with the yoke, a hinged lid connected with the top of said body, a sleeve mounted on said hinged lid, a shaft mounted in said sleeve, a handle bar connected to said shaft, and devices connective of said shaft and the front fork, and means for locking said sleeve to the rear upright, substantially as set forth.

9. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, the front fork, a pair of horizontal frame members connected to said front fork, a yoke extending transversely with respect to said frame members and hingedly connected to the rear extremities of each, a rear upright connected with said yoke, a pair of yielding horizontally extending forks, and a pair of yielding vertically extending forks, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention Ihave hereunto signed my name this 19th day of November, A. D. 1898.

HENRY F. WATSON.

In presence of F. NORMAN DIXON, THos. K. LANCASTER. 

